


Vulnerable

by shadowolfhunter



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Angst, Dan cares, Emotions, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Injured Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer TV), Love, Lucifer is still confused by emotions, M/M, happiness, more than he ever believed he would
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-05-10 12:31:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14737016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowolfhunter/pseuds/shadowolfhunter
Summary: Lucifer finds out that he's vulnerable to Dan.It proves something of a revelation... to both of them.Dan has been through a lot, he's still struggling to process Charlotte's death, his friendship with Lucifer takes a turn for the better.





	1. Working It Out

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SilverWolf7](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverWolf7/gifts).



> from a tumblr prompt, and I'll figure out how to put the link in, or even post the story... if I can.
> 
> PS... if anyone can fix my ignorance, I would be grateful.

It began with pudding.

Dan hurt. More than he really thought possible to hurt. He’d loved Chloe, they’d married and had a child, and what with everything that happened, he truly wasn’t sure if the hurt he felt was more wounded pride at losing his wife’s respect, than actual pain at the divorce.

But Charlotte was different. He had been surprised by love, the second time. The Charlotte who was growing and changing was not the Charlotte he had originally slept with. Then she’d died. Murdered by Marcus Pierce… or Cain, if you believed Lucifer.

Somehow, Dan believed Lucifer. It was nothing he could really put his finger on, but always there in the back of his mind.

Life went on. In the way that these things do. Lucifer still came to the precinct. He still worked with Chloe, but there was a fragility to their relationship now. Like Lucifer was walking on eggshells, hoping the axe was never going to fall.

So Dan went on. Vaguely aware that he was going through the motions, but unable to break out of that.

 

“What is it?” Dan eyed the offered cup and spoon with a little trepidation. The look in Lucifer’s eyes flashed hurt, and Dan almost rolled his eyes. They might be more frenemies than besties, but sometimes Lucifer just took things exactly wrong.

Sometimes Dan just wondered if that was a skill.

Then he took in the slightly hurt, slightly hopeful dark brown eyes staring at him, and reached for the cup, and the spoon. “Fine.”

He dipped the spoon in the goo contained in the cup, glanced up, realised that Lucifer hadn’t moved away and that Dan’s reaction to the pudding somehow really mattered to Lucifer.

Dan took a mouthful and almost moaned orgasmically at the explosion of flavours on his tongue. Rich chocolate chased smooth coffee in a never-ending tag team around his mouth. “G…” he caught the Devil’s eye, “DAMN that’s good.”

Sometimes Lucifer was simply such a dork. The look in his eyes upgraded from hopeful to actually delighted. Not his usual snark, but a genuine emotion, and just lately, Dan discovered that he really did care about that.

 

So time marched on. Lucifer and Chloe seemed in a better, healthier place. Maybe. Dan felt a little less bruised. He supposed he was coming to terms with Charlotte’s death. He missed her still.

It was his relationship with Lucifer that surprised. After their dog case, on days when Chloe was occupied with other things, Lucifer would bring pudding, and sometimes they would sit in companionable silence to consume the pudding, and Dan found himself growing surprisingly fond of Lucifer’s company.

There were occasional BodyBags marathons, and occasional beers, not necessarily at Lux, and Dan realised that they were truly friends now.

 

It was all hands on deck the day it happened. Supposed to be a straightforward arrest. Lucifer was supposed to remain at the back, he was a consultant and unarmed, though Chloe had managed to somehow force him into a vest.

Dan had gone in from the side, and quickly realised that this particular crew were mostly out of their minds on the product, he was crouched behind some very flimsy cover, trying to figure it out when something moved in his peripheral vision, Dan spun round, there was nowhere to go and this grinning lunatic was almost in his face, when wham! The lunatic spun round, swiping with his knife, cackling with glee. There was a thud, a yelp and Dan’s brain processed that Lucifer had somehow flung his attacker away from him.

For a moment, they stared at each other, breathing hard, less than ten feet away the would be killer was sliding down the wall in an ungainly heap and Dan was just about putting it together when Lucifer gave a hiss of pain. His right hand went to his side.

“I’m bleeding.” He sounded shocked, and Dan shook himself out of his stupor. Scrambled to his feet, took a step forward and tugged Lucifer round a little so that he could see. It wasn’t a big wound, it had slid in above the Devil’s belt and just below the vest. From the angle, it hadn’t hit anything vital, but Dan had no real way of knowing how deep it was. He had to get Lucifer to sit down, preferably lie down and put pressure to stop the bleeding. He put his hand over the wound, felt the warmth of Lucifer’s skin, the blood welling beneath his fingers.

“Lucifer.”

The tall man swayed.

Dan grabbed him, momentarily the Devil’s full weight leaning against him. Startled, Dan looked up into the deep brown eyes that had a confused look in them. He tightened his grip on the wound, and the arm wrapped around Lucifer’s waist, ignoring the low moan that both elicited, and carefully steered Lucifer to sit down.

It was more of a controlled fall than a sit, but he was no longer swaying on his feet, so Dan was taking that win. Certain that the Devil was no longer in danger of fainting, Dan took his arm from around Lucifer’s waist, keeping up the pressure on the wound with his other hand, he radioed for back up. Then concentrated on keeping up the pressure on Lucifer’s wound, while his partner said nothing, but stared at Dan as though he was a puzzle that Lucifer couldn’t work out.

 

Two days later, Lucifer was apparently back to his usual obnoxious self.

Something unexpected had happened back at that warehouse, and Dan couldn’t put his finger on it, but Lucifer was the king of denial and Dan doubted he was going to get to the bottom of it with Lucifer acting the bright, breezy, overly cheerful, idiot that he always retreated to when something confused him.

Even Dan got that now.

There were subtle changes, even Lucifer’s act had gaps in it, moments when Dan would look up, and his annoying part-time partner would be staring off into space, or Lucifer’s eyes would rapidly slide away from Dan’s. Moments when the Devil seemed to be trying to make up his mind about something.

One thing didn’t change. Pudding. Lucifer still brought pudding. They still ate together. Lucifer still brought Dan homemade pudding. The silences were still companionable.

Gradually things became less bright and breezy, but more quiet and intense, it was as though Lucifer had finally decided.


	2. Grief Observed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan is still falling. Charlotte's death hurts so badly.
> 
> Lucifer is trying. He just hopes he gets it right.

Later when things had settled down, Dan realised that the next stage began with his own forward step.

He’d been to Lux a few times, never really at the invitation of Lucifer, usually chasing after Chloe for some reason or other, once when he was trying to prevent Malcolm from killing Lucifer, and looking back at that, perhaps that was where all of this really began. His own realisation that Lucifer was just a guy, maybe in love with Dan’s ex wife.

Whoa. That was all too confusing.

The trouble was, when he stopped being confused, all the pain of Charlotte’s death came flooding back. He hurt.

He had hurt when Chloe left him, when he realised that they were over, and even when the divorce was his own suggestion. He had dealt with that because he was still a father, and curiously his relationship with Chloe improved when they were no longer married.

But Charlotte, he had never had the chance. He had been surprised by the joy of new love, he had forgotten what it was like, to have it all ripped away.

He was spiraling, and he knew it.

Somewhere in the middle of getting through each day, of dealing with his more than sometime partner’s Luciferness, an invitation had been issued. Dan put it to the back of his mind and buried himself deeper and deeper into work.

Work was the place where he could think deeply, where no one would make him feel too much.

 

Long ass day, tiring, frustrating, Dan was done. He was driving aimlessly, thinking that he would find a bar. Any bar. Not a cop bar. Just a place he could be. Really be, without the trappings of his job title.

He pulled over, looked up and realised he’d driven to Lux.

He hesitated, did he really want to go here? The hamster wheel he’d been on so long was still spinning.

Dan just wanted to get off.

With a shrug, he got out of his car, the parking attendant came over, “Mr Espinoza, there’s a parking space for you.” He was startled at that. One, that the attendant knew his name, two that there was parking space with his name on it. He knew Chloe had certain privileges as Lucifer treated his partner well, but didn’t know that it actually extended to himself.

Slightly dazed he handed over the keys, and headed towards the line, as he was about to join the back of the queue, one of the bouncers waved him forward, unclipping the ropes and letting Dan through.

It felt good, getting the VIP treatment, walking past all those waiting in line, hearing a grumble then the bouncer’s response “friend of the owner”.

Dan wandered in. Headed to the bar. The bartender turned towards him with a friendly smile, despite the looks he got from the two patrons who were clearly waiting. “What will it be, Mr Espinoza.”

Again with the Mr Espinoza. Dan was more used to Detective Douche. He was about to respond, when “I’ll take over here, Patrick.”

Dan didn’t think he’d ever seen Lucifer behind the bar any of the times he had been at Lux before. It very clearly wasn’t a thing judging by the puzzled looks of both Patrick and the few patrons within earshot.

Dan ordered a beer, which Lucifer poured and handed over, then he poured himself a whisky.

For a moment, they stared at each other, then Lucifer took a sip. Placing the glass back on the bar next to Dan. He said, “hold that thought.”

Puzzled, Dan moved the glass a little closer to himself and his beer, “sure, man.”

Lucifer gave a strange, uncertain half smile then, and headed to the piano.

 

Dan could not have named a single song. Everything running through his head kept repeating on a loop, Lucifer serving him, Lucifer playing the piano, like he did every night, but why was Dan never so aware of it until now.

The set ended, and Dan watched the Devil accepting the congratulations of the crowd, while moving inexorably forward, unhindered, to return to Dan’s side. Wondered what it all could mean. What did it mean? Losing Charlotte was too much. Dan really wasn’t sure whether he wanted this. Then he saw the look in Lucifer’s eyes. Not pity. Sympathy certainly. Maybe pain too.

He knew Lucifer had his ways, but how could he know what Dan was feeling? On some days Dan didn’t know what he himself was feeling. The crushing sadness at Charlotte’s death felt like he was in limbo sometimes.  
“....”

Dan drew himself out of his confused and strained reverie, he had no clue what Lucifer had just said, but he followed the tall man to the elevator. He was the puppet on the string right now, trusting that Lucifer wouldn’t tangle him up.

So he’s seated at the bar in Lucifer’s apartment, and Lucifer reaches into a glass-fronted fridge and pulls out a beer. A nice craft beer, from a fridge that Dan could swear was never there before, and then Luce is reaching into another fridge and there’s this plate in front of Dan. 

This pudding is a piece of art, and Dan’s eyes are focused on the waffle pattern on the perfect surface of the panna cotta on the plate in front of him. In his mind’s eye, another waffle, a little charm on a bracelet.

It’s all too much.

Dan chokes.

 

Lucifer hesitates. He never meant to hurt Dan, just show him his latest pudding creation. Now Lucifer doesn’t know what to do, he steps round the end of the bar, Dan is trembling, Lucifer reaches into the depths of what to do with an emotional crisis.

Oh bloody hell.

He takes another step. Dan turns on the bar stool. His eyes are glass bright, he’s choking. And suddenly Lucifer is right there. Dan’s arms are round his waist, hesitantly Lucifer wraps his arms around Dan.

 

The pain just comes flooding out. Dan scarcely knows where he is, but he knows who he’s with. He looks up into the face of the Devil, sees sympathy and he whispers her name, “Charlotte” he sees the pain that infuses the Devil’s eyes.

A grief observed.

It may be minutes, it may be hours, who knows how long an outpouring of such grief goes. Dan holds onto his rock, takes strength from him.

Lucifer knows it is not the same, that his mother the Goddess only inhabited Charlotte’s physical form, that Dan is grieving for the woman that Charlotte was becoming, not the woman that Lucifer sent into the void, to make her own universe.

The mother he realises that he misses.

Lucifer’s own moment of realisation, he hopes he isn’t taking the exact wrong direction with it, because he’s holding on so tight.

And Dan is holding him so he can’t fall.

 

Dan is spent, he’s leaning into Lucifer’s chest, the Devil’s arms are still around him, he’s so tired.

He feels the gentle press of lips against his forehead as the overwhelming feeling of exhaustion catches up.

“Sleep well, my Daniel.”


	3. At Risk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan and Lucifer team up and it all goes sideways

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. This is very far away from the series now. It is AU.
> 
> One of the very many reasons for this is that I literally cannot cope with all the stories where it all goes miserably wrong for Lucifer. I get angst, I do, I don't mind it, but I literally cannot cope with the unrelenting tide of it right now.
> 
> This has some depressing moments in it, plenty of angsty stuff, but I hope that there is some hope, and some actual happiness for Lucifer in there too.
> 
> This is not directed at anyone, it's just me. Okay.

After that night their friendship is on a whole new footing. They spend a lot of time together and Dan starts to feel better. Less like he's drowning. 

Dan doesn't really understand what's going on with Chloe though. At work she and Lucifer seem back on eggshells again.

So when Lucifer offers his help on Dan’s latest case, Dan doesn't hesitate. Maybe they both need this. 

It's a tough one, long hours, too many suspects and maybe they're both tired, spinning in circles. 

In retrospect, the trail of clues was just too easy. It’s a trap.

Who knew that an apparently low level drug dealer could be so organised?

 

Dan struggles hard, he’s tied to a high backed chair, arms bound to the back, ankles lashed to the front legs. He’s gagged too. 

Lucifer’s facing him, he’s also tied to a chair, their suspect, a runty little short order cook called Harry Lopez has cut Lucifer’s jacket off him, Lucifer’s gagged because of course Lucifer is never quiet, only this time Dan knows exactly why Lucifer’s loud mouth is running like a driverless freight train. He’s keeping Harry’s attention focused on him. 

Dan knows that back up is coming, but he’s worried, Harry’s unstable, the threat’s greater than Dan imagined. 

Lucifer has to admit he’s worried. He should have been able to break free easily, but as he’s come to realise, he’s vulnerable when Detective Douche… When Daniel is around. More vulnerable than he thought. He sees the mad look in Harry’s eyes. Knows that Harry is going to hurt Daniel, and he can't let that happen. 

He’d work his desire mojo, only Harry never really looks at him, he seems gleeful in a way that makes the hairs on the back of Lucifer’s neck stand up. Harry wants to hurt someone. That someone isn’t going to be Dan. 

Dan knows that something is going down, as soon as Harry comes back, he's got this roll of something in his hand. He lays it out on the table behind Lucifer. 

“I've wanted to try these forever… “

Dan blanches as Lopez pulls out the first needle, and struggles as the man reaches for Lucifer's right arm. Lopez leans forward, whispers in Lucifer's ear. “I've heard about your desire thing. Wanna know what I desire? “

The cloth in Lucifer's mouth is thick and tightly tied, but he managed to mumble a strangled “Yes.“

“I really want to hear you scream. “

And he slid the needle through Lucifer's right elbow. 

Dan could only stare into the eyes of the Devil as Lopez picked out another needle. 

Lucifer held on with a supreme effort of will. 

 

“LAPD… “ a boot kicked in the door, Dan resumed struggling, still holding Lucifer's tear-filled gaze. The pain in those deep dark eyes was matched only by the trust in them. 

Hands were freeing Dan’s arms, but he was barely registering who, focused on his partner. As the final bond fell free, Dan surged out of the chair, and managed to grab Lucifer, pulling the gag out of his partner’s mouth, carefully avoiding the Devil’s injured right arm, pulling his own gag down as Lucifer’s whole body folded and he collapsed into Dan’s arms. 

Dan was aware that Chloe was there, and others, beyond asking if he was okay, and calling a bus for Lucifer, they moved around him while Dan held his injured friend in his arms, and Lucifer drifted in and out. 

He felt safe in Dan’s arms which was a new experience for the Devil. Like Chloe, but not like. A new connection, which confused and elated him at the same time. His arm throbbed, little sparks of pain which ran up and down from wrist to shoulder. Dan wasn’t letting go, so Lucifer leaned his aching head against his friend’s upper arm and let go himself.

Dan tensed as he felt Lucifer go limp, but he could feel the steady rise and fall of Lucifer’s chest. “It’s okay, I’ve got you.” he whispered.


	4. From Bad To Worse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucifer reveals himself to Dan. It goes very differently to how he expects.
> 
> But with the morning comes a realisation that an old foe may well be back, and Lucifer's life may lie in the balance.

At the hospital, Lucifer is checked out by a doctor, pronounced fit to go because there really isn’t anything that they can do for the tiny puncture wounds, so he’s given a sling for his arm, advised to rest, that the bruising and swelling will go down naturally and they couldn’t find anything on the needles they extracted from his arm.

There’s something about this that niggles at Dan. Why lure them into the trap in the first place, it’s clear that Lopez was low down on the totem pole. And Lopez isn’t talking.

Lucifer’s quiet on the way home, until they reach Lux. Dan’s about to get out to help Lucifer get the door open, but the Devil puts his free hand on Dan’s arm. “Do you mind if we go somewhere else tonight, Detective?”

The way he says ‘Detective’ makes Dan’s mouth go suddenly dry. Wordlessly, he nods.

He starts the car, pulls away from the curb, moves out into traffic. He glances at his partner and what he sees makes him decide that a few beers at home would be best. Luce looks like he really doesn’t need crowds and noisy bars right now.

 

His arm still throbs, even though the long thin needles were removed hours ago, he can still feel them, or their phantom existence. Lopez had been surprisingly skilled, someone had taught him how to nail the nerve every time. He’d had time for five needles, each one more excruciating than the last, and all Lucifer could do was take it and take it and take it, because Lucifer was expendable, Dan was precious. And…

“Hey, man.” Dan’s hand was on his back, and Lucifer realised that he was shivering. Dan moved then, crouching down in front of the Devil. Taking his left hand in both of Dan’s and Lucifer wished he could stop shivering, and wished he…

 

He didn’t know what was going on in Lucifer’s head, but the pain on his face was enough. Dan couldn’t bear that Luce was hurting so badly. His hand went gently to Lucifer’s cheek. The Devil closed his eyes, nudged his cheek a little more into Dan’s palm.

Who leaned in to who… Their lips met and that point was moot.

It was like coming home, Dan deepened the kiss, trying to pour all the love and caring he had into his injured lover. That they would be lovers was not in doubt. Taking Luce’s left hand he gently drew the Devil to his feet, and headed for his bedroom.

 

Chloe didn’t know what to make of her partner’s brand new partnership with her ex-husband. At times it really felt like she was losing Lucifer. Which hurt. She knew he was hurt by her reaction to his Devil face, and in sour moments she wondered if Dan’s reaction would be any different to hers. And what did he really expect? It was so much easier when she had just accepted him as he was. He wasn’t the Devil to her, until he was. Add in a layer of the supernatural, and that really did change everything.

 

The Devil sat in front of him on the edge of Dan’s bed, eyes downcast.

It was a jolt, and later when Dan stopped feeling shocked and analysed it all he realised his reaction was hardly a normal one, but what he really felt when faced with the burned, scarred, damaged body shivering in front of him was a wave of compassion for what Lucifer must have suffered. 

What he was still suffering. 

The enormity of it all would strike later, without thinking Dan laid a gentle hand on the bent head, feeling the inhuman warmth, the shivers that coursed through Lucifer's body, Lucifer looked up at that touch.

Somehow Dan held his ground, the hell fire burning in the glowing eyes was a shock but once he could see past that, he could see the fear in them. Lucifer was afraid. He was afraid of Dan’s rejection.

Surely the Devil was all powerful, immortal, he shouldn’t care about the reaction of a mere human. It obvious did matter to him. A lot.

 

His arm ached and something was nagging in the back of Lucifer’s mind as to why that should be, apart from his apparent vulnerability to Daniel, there was something else, elusive, he couldn’t quite grasp it.

In the interests of actual disclosure, he’d shown his true form to Dan. And Dan’s reaction was different to either Linda’s or Chloe’s. Lucifer had almost felt Dan’s initial jolt of fear, but the same resilience that had him resisting Azrael’s blade, had thrown out another unexpected reaction. Truly Lucifer didn’t really know what to make of it, but Dan wasn’t running, or screaming.

Dan sat down on the bed, next to Lucifer, which almost made the Devil jump. With a thump, Lucifer’s bedraggled wings unfurled, and flopped on the bed.

Luce shifted back to his human glamour, the wings stayed out. He glanced behind him at the things. “Lovely.” he said sarcastically. Dan thought that he looked as though he was about to cry.

Acting on instinct, because if he was going to freak out and run away, Dan had to admit the window for that had now passed, and frankly, he still wanted the Lucifer he knew, he put a comforting arm around the Devil.

Lucifer had a moment’s struggle with himself, but the need to let someone share the burden was too great. He leaned into his friend and let go.

 

Lucifer is several inches taller than Dan, but somehow occupies a very little space in Dan’s not especially spacious bed, curled up close to the Detective. His head’s on Dan’s shoulder, good arm wrapped around Dan’s waist. Dan’s really not used to being cuddled like a teddy bear, but he’s not going to pull away, Luce seems to need it.

It’s the right arm that holds Dan’s attention, if anything the bruising and swelling is worse than it was yesterday and Dan can feel the heat from it. Lucifer runs warm, Dan has pretty much figured that one out, but this is different. With a sinking feeling, Dan gently shakes his bed partner. “Luce.” The Devil’s head turns a little, the brown eyes open, they’re bloodshot, unfocused.

“Daniel.” Lucifer’s voice is nervous, uncertain. Dan sits up. Lucifer tries to move, and bites back a scream. Dan turns, one hand on the Devil’s back, avoiding touching Lucifer’s right arm, his free hand gently strokes through Lucifer’s messed up curls as Lucifer bites his bottom lip and tries not to sob with pain.

Keeping his hand on his partner’s back, Dan reaches out for his phone and calls the one person he knows he can rely on. They need a scientist, because something’s wrong and Dan has a really bad feeling about this. About the low-level drug dealer, and the crazy, and the torture Lucifer was subjected to.

It’s the Sinnerman, he knows it.


End file.
